Disk brakes are commonly used in automobiles, trucks, buses, off-road and construction vehicles, aircraft, and light rail vehicles. In the disk brake type of braking system, a disk or rotor turns with the vehicle's wheel. When the brakes are applied, stationary (i.e., non-rotating) brake pads are pressed against the rotor under high hydraulic pressure by a brake caliper. The frictional forces between the brake pads and the rotor bring the vehicle wheel to a stop.
A common problem associated with brake systems is that unwanted noise and vibration are often generated during the braking process. This unwanted noise is a frequently recurring problem that causes numerous customer complaints and significant warranty expenditures on the part of motor vehicle manufacturers.
It is an object of this invention to reduce brake noise.
It is a further object of this invention to reduce unwanted brake noise by the use of a simple damping arrangement that minimizes the amount of additional forming operations required in the manufacture of the brake system.
It is another object of this invention to provide a ventilated disk brake rotor with improved vibration and noise damping characteristics.
It is another object of this invention to provide a disk brake rotor with noise and vibration damping members that are cooled along with the disk brake rotor.